How do I send a music file via email?

I've been recording my own music (just for fun) using Garage Band which is working alright...but I want to send a sample of the song I'm working on to my music teacher and obviously it's not as simple as attaching a file (or at least, when I tried sending it to myself, all I got was text but no music).

If you can give detailed directions or point me toward a source that gives detailed directions, that would be swell! ;-)

When you drag a song from iTunes, all you get is a local file link. The procedure is:

Select the song in iTunes.

Hit Apple-R to reveal the song file in the Finder.

Drag the song file onto the Mail icon in the dock.

Presto, a new email will open, with the song file already attached. Beware of sending file formats that are too large or too exotic. If you don't know about the receiver's system, send MP3s, no more than 4MB in size. These can be handled by most mail servers.

When you drag a song from iTunes, all you get is a local file link. The procedure is:

Select the song in iTunes.

Hit Apple-R to reveal the song file in the Finder.

Drag the song file onto the Mail icon in the dock.

Presto, a new email will open, with the song file already attached. Beware of sending file formats that are too large or too exotic. If you don't know about the receiver's system, send MP3s, no more than 4MB in size. These can be handled by most mail servers.

Refer to your iTunes manual on how to convert a song to MP3 format.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much Pianojoe! Well, I got ahead of myself and started in on your recommended procedure before reading the end where you said they can't be too large. I don't know if that's what went wrong, but the first thing I noticed (in attempting to send it to myself) was that it was titled "No Name - 1" instead of what I'd named it in itunes. Once I'd received it, downloading was the only option to hear it (which I'd expect) and the next thing I noticed was that it's 12452K. It took a while to download, and as it was downloading I noticed it said it was 12.2MB. When it was done downloading, only text came through. LOTS AND LOTS of text!

Ok I figured it out...I just went up to the menu bar (if that's even what it's called - I'm obviously computer illiterate), clicked on Advance and then scrolled down to "convert selection to AAC" which was sort of a crapshoot but since it said "convert" I figured I had a shot!

Thanks again for the directions. It makes it so easy, having the short cut (just pressing apple and then R).

Now one of these days I gotta figure out how to send video clips but that's a whole 'nother ball game!!!

Ok I figured it out...I just went up to the menu bar (if that's even what it's called - I'm obviously computer illiterate), clicked on Advance and then scrolled down to "convert selection to AAC" which was sort of a crapshoot but since it said "convert" I figured I had a shot!

Thanks again for the directions. It makes it so easy, having the short cut (just pressing apple and then R).

Now one of these days I gotta figure out how to send video clips but that's a whole 'nother ball game!!!

Click to expand...

If you change your iTunes import settings in the iTunes preferences to mp3 instead of AAC, that 'convert to...' will change to mp3.

aac is kinda standard for apple, itunes and quicktime (also handbrake). It is a small compressed file like an mp3. Without getting technical, they are close in size and quality. An mp3 is easy to share with people that don't have itunes.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.